1951 in comics

Events

January

• January 27: The Nero story De Zwarte Voeten is first published in the newspapers. Halfway the story the main cast member Meneer Pheip makes his debut.
• Action Comics #152 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #160 - DC Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #19 - American Comics Group
• Adventures of Alan Ladd #9 - DC Comics
• Airboy #12 - Hillman Periodicals
• All Star Comics #58 - DC Comics
• Amazing Adventures #2 - Ziff-Davis Publishing Company
• Amazing Detective Cases #4 - Atlas Comics
• Archie Comics #48 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica #7 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Pal Jughead #8 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Rival Reggie #2 - Archie Publications
• Blackhawk #36 - Quality Comics
• The Cisco Kid #2 - Dell Comics
• Dale Evans Comics #15 - DC Comics
• Danger Trail #4 - DC Comics
• Detective Comics #167 - DC Comics
• Journey Into Unknown Worlds #38 - Atlas Comics
• Movie Town Animial Antics #30 - DC Comics
• Mr. District Attorney #19 - DC Comics
• Private Eye #1 - Atlas Comics
• Sensation Comics #101 - DC Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #112 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #4 - DC Comics
• Superboy #12 - DC Comics

  February

• February 1: Jean-Michel Charlier and Octave Joly's educational comics series L'Oncle Paul is first published in Spirou.
• A-1 Comics #31 - Magazine Enterprises
• Action Comics #153 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #161 - DC Comics
• Adventures into Terror #102 - Atlas Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #20 - American Comics Group
• Adventures of Bob Hope #7 - DC Comics
• Airboy #1 - Hillman Periodicals
• All American Western #118 - DC Comics
• All Star Comics #57 - final issue, cancelled by DC Comics
• All-True Crime #44 - Atlas Comics
• Amazing Adventures #3 - Ziff-Davis Publishing Company
• Astonishing #2 - Atlas Comics
• Batman #63 - DC Comics
• Blackhawk #37 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #168 - DC Comics
• Flash Gordon #4 - Harvey Publications
• Journey Into Unknown Worlds #4 - Atlas Comics
• Marvel Boy #2 - Altas Comics - Marvel Boy will be renamed to Astonishing
• Marvel Tales #102 - Atlas Comics
• Men Adventures #6 - Atlas Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #113 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #5 - DC Comics
• Superman #68 - DC Comics
• White Fang #80 - Classics Illustrated
• Young Men #7 - Atlas Comics

  March

• March 4: The final episode of Jules Feiffer's gag comic Clifford is published.
• March 5: Malang is sued by the Filipino police for defamation over a cartoon ridiculing them.
• March 12: Hank Ketcham's Dennis the Menace makes its debut.
• March 13: In Mort Walker's Beetle Bailey Beetle Bailey joins the army, which changes the overall concept of the comic strip, originally premiered in 1950.
• March 17: David Law's Dennis the Menace and Gnasher makes its debut in The Beano.
• A-1 Comics #32 - Magazine Enterprises
• Action Comics #154 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #162 - DC Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #21 - American Comics Group
• Airboy #2 - Hillman Periodicals
• Amazing Detective Cases #5 - Atlas Comics
• Archie Comics #49 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica #8 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Pal Jughead #9 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Rival Reggie #3 - Archie Publications
• Battle #1 - Atlas Comics
• Blackhawk #38 - Quality Comics
• Dale Evans Comics #16 - DC Comics
• Danger Trail #5 - DC Comics
• Detective Comics #169 - DC Comics
• Movie Town Animial Antics #31 - DC Comics
• Mr. District Attorney #20 - DC Comics
• #1 - Atlas Comics
• Private Eye #2 - Atlas Comics
• Sensation Comics #102 - DC Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #114 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #6 - DC Comics
• Superboy #13 - DC Comics

  April

• April 16: Pom's Piet Pienter en Bert Bibber makes its debut in Het Zondagsblad.
• April 17: The final issue of the Belgian comics magazine Bravo! is published.
• April 25: The first issue of the Flemish children's magazine Pum-Pum is published. It will run until 11 January 1967.
• In Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy story Captain Atom Professor Ochanomizu makes his debut.
• A-1 Comics #33 - Magazine Enterprises
• Action Comics #155 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #163 - DC Comics
• Adventures into Terror #103 - Atlas Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #22 - American Comics Group
• Adventures of Bob Hope #8 - DC Comics
• Airboy #3 - Hillman Periodicals
• All American Western #119 - DC Comics
• All Star Western #58 - DC Comics
• All-True Crime #45 - Atlas Comics
• Astonishing #3 - Atlas Comics
• Batman #64 - DC Comics
• Battle #2 - Atlas Comics
• Blackhawk #39 - Quality Comics
• Danger Trail #5 - DC Comics
• Detective Comics #170 - DC Comics
• Flash Gordon #5 - Harvey Publications
• Journey Into Unknown Worlds #5 - Atlas Comics
• Marvel Tales #103 - Atlas Comics
• Men Adventures #7 - Atlas Comics
• Mystery in Space #1 - DC Comics
• Two-Gun Kid #6 - Atlas Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #115 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #7 - DC Comics
• Superman #69 - DC Comics
• Young Men #8 - Atlas Comics

  May

• May: Manuel Vázquez Gallego's La familia Cebolleta makes its debut in the first issue of El DDT.
• May 30: In Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts Schroeder makes his debut, though he will not be depicted playing piano until 24 September.
• A-1 Comics #34 - Magazine Enterprises
• Action Comics #156 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #164 - DC Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #23 - American Comics Group
• Airboy #4 - Hillman Periodicals
• All-Famous Crime #8 - Star Publications
• Amazing Detective Cases #6 - Atlas Comics
• Archie Comics #50 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica #9 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Pal Jughead #10 - Archie Publications
• Battle #3 - Atlas Comics
• Blackhawk #40 - Quality Comics
• The Cisco Kid #1 - Dell Comics
• Dale Evans Comics #17 - DC Comics
• Detective Comics #171 - DC Comics
• Kid Colt Outlaw #14 - Atlas Comics
• Movie Town Animial Antics #32 - DC Comics
• Mr. District Attorney #21 - DC Comics
• #2 - Atlas Comics
• Private Eye #3 - Atlas Comics
• Sensation Comics #103 - DC Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #116 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #8 - DC Comics first "gorilla themed" cover featured on a DC comic.
• Superboy #14 - DC Comics

  June

• June 30: The final issue of the Dutch comics magazine Tom Poes Weekblad, based on Maarten Toonder's Tom Poes, is published.
• A-1 Comics #35 - Magazine Enterprises
• Action Comics #157 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #165 - DC Comics
• Adventures into Terror #104 - Atlas Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #24 - American Comics Group
• Adventures of Bob Hope #9 - DC Comics
• Airboy #5 - Hillman Periodicals
• All American Western #120 - DC Comics
• All Star Western #59 - DC Comics
• All-True Crime #46 - Marvel Comics
• Astonishing #4 - Atlas Comics
• Batman #65 - DC Comics
• Battle #4 - Atlas Comics
• Blackhawk #41 - Quality Comics
• Chamber of Chills #1 - Harvey Comics
• The Cisco Kid #2 - Dell Comics
• Detective Comics #172 - DC Comics
• Journey Into Unknown Worlds #6 - Atlas Comics
• Marvel Tales #104 - Atlas Comics
• Men Adventures #8 - Atlas Comics
• Mystery in Space #2 - DC Comics
• PS, The Preventive Maintenance Monthly - Department of the Army
• Star Spangled Comics #117 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #9 - DC Comics
• Strange Tales #1 - Atlas Comics
• Superman #70 - DC Comics
• Two-Gun Kid #7 - Atlas Comics
• Witches Tales #1 - Harvey Comics
• Young Men #9 - Atlas Comics

  July

• July 1: EsseGesse's Captain Miki makes its debut.
• A-1 Comics #36 - Magazine Enterprises
• Action Comics #158 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #166 - DC Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #25 - American Comics Group
• Airboy #6 - Hillman Periodicals
• All-Famous Crime #9 - Star Publications
• Amazing Detective Cases #7 - Marvel Comics
• Archie Comics #51 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica #10 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Pal Jughead #11 - Archie Publications
• Battle #5 - Atlas Comics
• Blackhawk #42 - Quality Comics
• The Cisco Kid #3 - Dell Comics
• Dale Evans Comics #18 - DC Comics
• Detective Comics #173 - DC Comics
• Frontline Combat #1 -
• Kid Colt Outlaw #15 - Atlas Comics
• Movie Town Animial Antics #33 - DC Comics
• Mr. District Attorney #22 - DC Comics
• #3 - Atlas Comics
• Private Eye #4 - Atlas Comics
• Sensation Comics #104 - DC Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #118 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #10 - DC Comics
• Superboy #15 - DC Comics

  August

• August 29: The first issue of the German Disney comics magazine Micky Maus is published.
• A-1 Comics #37 - Magazine Enterprises
• Action Comics #159 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #167 - DC Comics
• Adventures into Terror #105 - Atlas Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #26 - American Comics Group
• Adventures of Bob Hope #10 - DC Comics
• Airboy #7 - Hillman Periodicals
• All American Western #121 - DC Comics
• All Star Western #60 - DC Comics
• All-True Crime #47 - Atlas Comics
• Astonishing #5 - Atlas Comics
• Batman #66 - DC Comics
• Battle #6 - Atlas Comics
• Blackhawk #43 - Quality Comics
• The Cisco Kid #4 - Dell Comics
• Detective Comics #174 - DC Comics
• Journey Into Unknown Worlds #7 - Atlas Comics
• Marvel Tales #105 - Atlas Comics
• Men Adventures #9 - Atlas Comics
• Mystery in Space #3 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #11 - DC Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #119 - DC Comics
• Strange Tales #2 - Atlas Comics
• Superman #71 - DC Comics
• Two-Gun Kid #8 - Atlas Comics
• Young Men #10 - Atlas Comics

  September

• September 20: In the 701th issue of Spirou Morris publishes the Lucky Luke story Hors La Loi in which the Daltons make their debut.
• September 26: Willy Vandersteen's comics series Tijl Uilenspiegel debuts in Tintin.
• A-1 Comics #38 - Magazine Enterprises
• Action Comics #160 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #168 - DC Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #27 - American Comics Group
• Airboy #8 - Hillman Periodicals
• Amazing Detective Cases #8 - Atlas Comics
• Archie Comics #52 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica #11 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Pal Jughead #12 - Archie Publications
• Battle #7 - Atlas Comics
• Blackhawk #44 - Quality Comics
• The Cisco Kid #5 - Dell Comics
• Dale Evans Comics #19 - DC Comics
• Detective Comics #175 - DC Comics
• Kid Colt Outlaw #16 - Atlas Comics
• Movie Town Animial Antics #34 - DC Comics
• Mr. District Attorney #23 - DC Comics
• #4 - Atlas Comics
• Private Eye #5 - Atlas Comics
• Sensation Comics #105 - DC Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #120 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #12 - DC Comics
• Superboy #16 - DC Comics

  October

• A-1 Comics #39 - Magazine Enterprises
• Action Comics #161 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #169 - DC Comics
• Adventures into Terror #106 - Atlas Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #28 - American Comics Group
• Adventures of Bob Hope #11 - DC Comics
• Airboy #9 - Hillman Periodicals
• All American Western #122 - DC Comics
• All Star Western #61 - DC Comics
• All-True Crime #48 - Atlas Comics
• Astonishing #6 - Atlas Comics
• Batman #67 - DC Comics
• Battle #8 - Atlas Comics
• Blackhawk #45 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #176 - DC Comics
• Journey Into Unknown Worlds #8 - Atlas Comics
• Marvel Tales #106 - Atlas Comics
• Men Adventures #10 - Atlas Comics
• Mystery in Space #4 - DC Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #121 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #13 - DC Comics
• Strange Tales #3 - Atlas Comics
• Superman #72 - DC Comics
• Two-Gun Kid #9 - Atlas Comics
• Young Men #11 - Atlas Comics

  November

• November 2: The first issue of the British comics magazine Girl is published. It will run until 3 October 1964.
• November 17: Vilhelm Hansen and Carla Hansen's comic strip Rasmus Klump is first published.
• November: In the Donald Duck story Terror of the Beagle Boys by Carl Barks the Beagle Boys make their debut. The same story also introduces Uncle Scrooge's Money Bin.
• A-1 Comics #40 - Magazine Enterprises
• Action Comics #162 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #170 - DC Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #29 - American Comics Group
• Airboy #10 - Hillman Periodicals
• All-Famous Crime #10 - Star Publications
• Amazing Detective Cases #9 - Atlas Comics
• Archie Comics #53 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica #12 - Archie Publications
• Archie's Pal Jughead #13 - Archie Publications
• Battle #9 - Atlas Comics
• Blackhawk #46 - Quality Comics
• Combat Kelly #1 - Atlas Comics
• Dale Evans Comics #20 - DC Comics
• Detective Comics #177 - DC Comics
• Kid Colt Outlaw #17 - Atlas Comics
• Movie Town Animial Antics #35 - DC Comics
• Mr. District Attorney #24 - DC Comics
• #5 - Atlas Comics
• Police Comics #109 - DC Comics
• Private Eye #6 - Atlas Comics
• Sensation Comics #106 - DC Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #122 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #14 - DC Comics
• Superboy #17 - DC Comics

  December

• December 5: The first issue of the Finnish Disney comics magazine Aku Ankka is published.
• In the 37th issue of Will Eisner and Lou Fine's Doll Man Doll Man's girlfriend Martha Roberts becomes his team partner under the name Midge, the Doll Girl.
• A-1 Comics #41 - Magazine Enterprises
• Action Comics #163 - DC Comics
• Adventure Comics #171 - DC Comics
• Adventures into Terror #107 - Atlas Comics
• Adventures Into the Unknown! #30 - American Comics Group
• Adventures of Bob Hope #12 - DC Comics
• Airboy #11 - Hillman Periodicals
• All American Western #123 - DC Comics
• All Star Western #62 - DC Comics
• All-True Crime #49 - Atlas Comics
• Astonishing #7 - Atlas Comics
• Batman #68 - DC Comics
• Battle #10 - Atlas Comics
• Blackhawk #47 - Quality Comics
• Combat Kelly #2 - Atlas Comics
• Detective Comics #178 - DC Comics
• House of Mystery #1 - DC Comics
• Journey Into Unknown Worlds #9 - Atlas Comics
• Marvel Tales #107 - Atlas Comics
• Men Adventures #11 - Atlas Comics
• Mystery in Space #5 - DC Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #123 - DC Comics
• Strange Adventures #15 - DC Comics
• Strange Tales #4 - Atlas Comics
• Superman #73 - DC Comics
• Two-Gun Kid #10 - Atlas Comics
• Young Men #12 - Atlas Comics - Renamed to Young Men on the Battlefield

  Specific date unknown

• John Gee's The Tindertoes makes its debut. He will draw it until his death in 1977, after which it's continued.
• J.H. Koeleman publishes his first Pinkie Pienter album.
• Maurice Chénechot draws Riri, which will last until 1953.
• Archie Comics Annual #2 - Archie Publications
• Hopalong Cassidy #60 - Quality Comics
• King Solomon's Mines - Avon Comics
• Rocket To The Moon - Avon Comics

  Deaths

January

• January 7: Nelly Bodenheim, Dutch painter, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 76.

  April

• April 5: Harry Hemsley, British comedian, radio presenter, comics artist, voice actor and illustrator, passes away at age 73.
• April 7: Gustave-Henri Jossot, French painter, caricaturist, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 84.
• April 24: Henry Yoshikata Kiyama, Japanese manga artist, dies at the age of 75.

  May

• May 21: Clifford McBride, American comics artist, dies at the age of 50.

  June

• June 10: Dudley Fisher, American comics artist, passes away at the age of 60 or 61.

  July

• July 8: Walter Trier, Czech-German illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 61.

  August

• August 14: William Randolph Hearst, American newspaper comics publisher, co-founder of King Features and major force behind the comics industry, passes away at age 88.

  September

• September 18: Gelett Burgess, American poet, novelist, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 85.

  November

• November 8: Antoni Muntañola, Spanish illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 67 or 68.
• November 10: William Meade Prince, American illustrator, theatrical actor and comics artist, commits suicide at age 58.

  December

• December 2: J.P. Arnot, American comics artist, dies at age 64.

  Specific date unknown

• Bernard Graddon, British comics artist, dies at the age of 80 or 81.

  Initial appearances by character name

• Tiger Jack, Tex Willer's indian pard, in The Dalton gang, created by Gian Luigi Bonelli and Galep - Bonelli
• Knights of the Galaxy in Mystery in Space #1, created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino - DC Comics
• Kit Willer, Tex Willer's son, in The shadow of fear created by Gian Luigi Bonelli and Galep - Bonelli. In the same adventure, set in Canada, two other recurring characters of the series make their debut.
• Captain Comet in Strange Adventures #9, created by Julius Schwartz, John Broome and Carmine Infantino - DC Comics